BOXING

BOXING; Mercer Knocks Out Morrison

Published: October 19, 1991

ATLANTIC CITY, Oct. 18—
Ray Mercer retained his World Boxing Organization heavyweight title when he knocked out Tommy Morrison at 28 seconds of the 5th round of a scheduled 10-round bout.

The end came after Mercer nailed Morrison with right hands that drove Morrison into the ropes. Mercer then landed a powerful left hook that made Morrison sag. The final sequence was a left, three clubbing rights and a left. With that combination, Larry Hazzard, New Jersey's boxing commissioner, climbed onto the ring apron to signal that the fight should be stopped. But at the same moment, Referee Tony Perez waved an end to the bout.

Mercer's explosive finish followed a slow start by him that saw Morrison beat him to the punch repeatedly through the first three rounds. Mercer was bleeding from the lower lip by the second round.

By the fourth round, however, Mercer was timing Morrison's advances and scoring with sharp right hands to Morrison's head.

With the victory, the 30-year-old Mercer is 18-0 with 13 knockouts. Morrison, 22, lost for the first time in 29 bouts.